“Reasonable” grace period announced for Spain’s new V-16 Light law

Spain’s Government has announced that motorists who do not carry an official V-16 warning light will not be fined for a “reasonable period of time”. The time period has not been defined precisely.

The law requiring compulsory possession of a light by all vehicles came into force in the New Year, but the Traffic Department (DGT) has acknowledged that there have been concerns about the new lights. These mainly involve the wide availability of non-approved models which have flooded the market.

The V-16 light is intended to replace the red warning triangles that were compulsory until January 1^st, reducing the risks caused by drivers leaving their vehicle to position the triangles. However, the DGT has not yet clarified whether it is actually illegal to continue using the triangles, with some motorists claiming they could still be useful in certain situations, such as a blind corner on a non-busy road.